Something that has stood out to me throughout the whole memoir is that Silvana Paternostro does not seem to rely on others for absolutely anything. This in a certain way is a positive aspect because independence is always good and being able to get yourself together by yourself at times is also rewarding. However, I think Paternostro has closed herself out from her family at a harsh time.
What Colombia lived a few years back was terrible but family's stuck together and made it through relying on each other. Paternostro insists that everyone should have left the country but what about those who could not? In their cases, they would get left behind while their families lurked for a more prosperous future outside the country. Families would have lost their unity and support, becoming weaker and more vulnerable. This whole situation in which family support is necessary reminded me of the song "Fix You" by Coldplay.
Paternostro believes that Colombians who stayed in the country were ignorant and naive about the country's reality, but she never took into account that they could have wanted to stay. It is understandable and reasonable if someone leaves because their family has been threatened and is at danger, but if you have not been put into this situation, you really don't feel the need to leave your country, especially at the times in which it needs you the most. Part of life is not running away from your problems but owning up to them and accepting them for what they are. This does not mean that you should not attempt to fix those issues, you definitely should and closing yourself out is certainly not the best strategy.
This situation reminded me of a quote from Ambrose Redmoon: "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." In this case that something that is more important than fear is Colombia's future and the well-being of it's people.
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